September 4, 2025 Washington, DC — LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit and mission-driven aging services providers, is proud to announce that Marcus Riley, chairman of BallyCara, headquartered in Scarborough, Queensland, Australia; founder of the Booming Ageing Agency and Global Ageing Network board member, is the 2025 Award of Honor winner.
Bestowed by LeadingAge annually over the past 60 years, the award is among the nonprofit aging services sector’s most prestigious recognitions, and this year celebrates Riley’s more than two decades of leadership across local, national, and global efforts in health, aging, and senior living. BallyCara is a charitable organization offering accommodation, health, and care services for older adults throughout the state of Queensland and the city of Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
In addition to his work with BallyCara, Riley is a founding director of the Booming Ageing Agency, author of Booming – A Life‑Changing Philosophy on Ageing Well, and host of the Booming podcast. His work champions a modern, human-centered approach to aging and care, and his influence spans executive leadership, global advocacy, and public engagement.
He served on the Steering Committee of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP), is a past chair of the Global Ageing Network, and is currently Focal Point for the Stakeholder Group on Ageing in the Asia-Pacific region. Riley has served numerous international organizations, as well as Government boards and peak bodies on a national level providing strategic insight and helping shape policy to ensure older people are empowered to pursue their passions, purpose and potential.
“Marcus Riley exemplifies the visionary leadership and deep compassion that define the very best of aging services,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge. “His unwavering commitment to inclusive, person-centered care and his global advocacy for older adults have elevated our field and inspired countless others. Through his influential role at the United Nations, where he championed the creation of a binding international convention to protect the rights of older adults, Marcus has helped shape global policy and amplify the voice of aging services providers worldwide. We are proud to honor him with this award—not only for what he has accomplished, but for the values he embodies and the future he continues to shape.”
Riley will be recognized at LeadingAge’s and Global Ageing Network’s Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
About LeadingAge: We represent more than 5,400 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-driven organizations serving older adults that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 36 partners in 41 states, we use advocacy, education, applied research, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership encompasses the entire continuum of aging services, including skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, affordable housing, retirement communities, adult day programs, community-based services, hospice, and home-based care. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org
About Global Ageing Network: The Global Ageing Network advances ideas and solutions to address global ageing. Through its presence in over 60 countries, the Network serves as a platform for the exchange of best practices, innovations, barriers, and solutions to ensure that all older adults – regardless of geography or circumstance – can age with dignity and respect. This collective purpose, shared among providers, businesses, researchers, advocates, and others, is a powerful force in addressing the many challenges and opportunities associated with global ageing.
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